New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-26
ALL LOCOMoTIvEs.UNDrR Guard

PROMPT MEASURES TAKEN BY rHE COMPANY TO
PROTECT IT'S PRorEGTY-DANGER or COAL
iANiNE-SIEIkER> ORDERLY BUr DETERMINED
READING. Dec. - Npeciqb b-sarly this morn
Ing and to-day the Reading Company. in pur-
suancc Of instructions from General MANAGER
Mcleod. has been running all its locomotives into
the various roundhous,s. This was done 10 pre-
vent any possible damage TO the machinerv bv
striking train hands. With the exception Of n
few shifting crews at the principal stations every
thing IS practically at stand,iill The engines
which started out on Friday night with coal and
freight trains but were compelled 10 take the
SD" track bccinSc of thdr inability 10 reach II cir
destination, h We been brought 30 Rcadlna. and
placed under guard. The officials say they don't
want repetition ~ the Missouri Pacific strike
ana have decided 10 place their motive power
beyond the reach Of all possibl. ,.angcr
The Reading Company employs about 2.5OO men
in this city 500 in their machine and ear shops
and the remainder as train hands, switch tenders
and In other brl'l.> Of the ria.s, ortation de-
rarimcnt. The shop hands switchmcn and cross
ing watchmcn are not likely to be called upon 10
Sul" as the leaders say they can block the traffic
cfrcctually without ticir assistance Reading is
er'at railway centre being the terminus of the
East Pennsylvania Lebanon Valley. Schuylkill
employing about 400 train men The main line.
which also passes through Reading employs fifty
freight crews Of $50 men and IN the coal trade
seventy five crews Of $50 In addition To these
80 shifting crews Of $50 men are also employed
AZ the various stations including Port Richmond
tn" Schuykll and Susquchanna, fremont. Little
SchuyllulI Mountain Link, Mine Hill, Mahanoy
and Shamolln, Sunbury and CatawisSa branches
"A he m nboro r MI DIM
the busy season many more.
As rear can he estimated the actual number
Of train hands likely to stand out will not exceed
5000 on all lines This estimate is based on
statistics obtained from trustworthy sources Con-
scrvativc men believe that only about so per cent
Of this little army will respond to the call Of the
kn ghts, and it will require several days to
tain just how many black sheep will he found
in the flock.
The strike is the topic of talk and has created n
great deal Of uneasncss among business men: and
sho uld the trouble continue any length Of time "a
coal famine is apprehcndcd There are thirty
eight furnaces along the main line and branches
They consume large quantities of anthracite coal,
and IL is said, their stock will not last more than
ten days Some Of these furnaces large guam
titles Of coke in connection with anthracite coal,
and those controlled by Robert II. Coleman at
IL banon use coke concusivey The iron mills
and other Industries, us well as local dealers, are
also short OF coal. Most of the iron manu-
facturcrs seldom lay in large supplies Of fuel, and
the sudden and unexpected strike threatens to
cause no end Of trouble
The miners are not likely TO strike. They have
been forced out by the railroad men; but are
in full sympathy with them. The Reading Com
pany controls some sixty collierics which employ
between $4,000 and 5000 men and boys. The
individual collicrics in Reading territory employ
< 600 men and boys. fair estimate places the
number Of persons thrown out Of employment at
not more than $500 The men in this section
and throughout the coal regions are orderly but
apparently determined
The prompt stand taken by the company and its
removal Of all motive power to places Of safety
ha fairly staggered the leaders Some regard the
move as "a bur, but Mr.. Mcleod is angry and
means fight On Tuesday the company will en-
dcavor to move all traffic offered with non-union
men, or with such assistance rs those who refuse
ia 20 out may be able to render. The outlook Is
really serious
The Rairoadcrs Assembly Of this city held
lengthy meeting to-day and discussed the sltua-
tion of affairs and while no vote was taken, 1t
was tacitly resolved 80 stand by the Knights
This means that the orders OF the latter 70 strike
are to be obeycd and that the railroadcrs who are
not Knights will net with the latter